I’d like to note that I just did considerable research on this topic, and several who seemed to know what they were talking about posted in various discussion forums that tri-sodium phosphate was way too caustic and would wreck the seals and aluminum parts of your dishwasher and washing machine, and that a better chemical, one of the ones that had been used in household cleaners before it was removed, was sodium tripoly phosphate (STPP).
What you want to use here is technical-grade, low-density STPP. There’s a guy on ebay selling it and I bought some. I’m too lazy to premix it with my regular cleaners, so I just pour about 3 tablespoons in the soap dispenser of my washing machine when I pour in the regular soap. With the dishwasher, I just dump about a tablespoon onto the door before I close the door.
The difference in clothes is truly remarkable. They start to look as bright as new, and lose that progressive dinginess that they accumulate otherwise with the crappola neo-Marxist, Greenie fake soaps that are now the only ones sold in the stores. My dishes get clean now too.
I then located a cleaner manufacturing company in Denver, and drove there and they sold me a 50 pound bag of STPP far cheaper than online. This company makes a very large variety of cleaners, and I tried to convince the owner he should also sell just plain STPP, and label it something like “Hard Water Dishwasher and Washing Machine Booster”. I think word would spread virally and that he’d have an instant hit on his hands.
Phosphates are banned in only a hand full of states, but the big manufactures are too lazy to make two different products, so they invariably make their products to match the lowest common denominator, which is usually California.
BTW, though not illegal in Colorado, when I first went looking for TSP (before I realized STPP was the way to go), all I found was fake stuff that was named “TSP”, but which did not actually contain any tri-sodium phosphate. Couldn’t even buy it online from the chain stores, even though they sold the real thing online in other states. An Ace Hardware store clerk told me why. Real TSP is a key ingredient in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine, so all retail business in Colorado “voluntarily” refuse to sell it, even though it is not illegal. They even go so far as to filter availability via zip code online. Essentially this is fascism at work.
ping for later
JHC, is EVERYTHING used to make meth?
Coffee filters, coleman fuel, etc.
Now I’m bummed. I paid 14.95 for a 4.5 pound box this morning on eBay, plus ten bucks for shipping. It is advertised as Trisodium Phosphate. It says so on the box itself.
Now I find that it might be some thing else entirely, due to the fact some imbecile might use it to fry his brain.
I’m just trying to get through the day, but the dopeheads and greenie weenies are making it difficult. I hope they die in a fire. /s
Could you share your STPP source? FReepmail me if you’d rather.
Thanks for the info on STPP. I checked your Ebay source and, for those interested, they also sell it in 1 lb. containers, prob more “per pound” but easier on the wallet to try out. I just bought a box; we are also disgusted with the poor performance of our dishwasher — my husband has taken it apart, replaced parts, etc. in our effort to discover what the problem is. Hopefully this will be the “fix”! Anxious to try it in the clothes washer, too.